


Towards Dawn

by anasnastias



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Class Differences, Cuz TROS sure as hell wasn't hopeful wtf, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fantasy AU, Fluff and Angst, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force has been tweaked by author, Hope, M/M, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Kylo Ren, Posting first drafts like men, Prince Kylo Ren, Rey Solo, Scavenger Rey (Star Wars), Seriously we're in this for the long haul, She chose her name herself, Slow Burn, Summoners and Necromancers, Surviving together, War, reluctant allies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:28:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21964339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasnastias/pseuds/anasnastias
Summary: Rey had accepted her fate.Kylo Ren was not ready to let her die.-In which a necromancer prince falls in love with a peasantly summoner. Fantasy AU
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. I.

**Author's Note:**

> Hellow fellow Reylos :) Welcome to my Fantasy AU with Fairytale elements we did not seem to get in TROS.  
> I don't have much to say for now, except that I will try to update as often as possible, as writing helps me cope with the heartbreak.  
> Additional tags and warnings will be added once needed.  
> The idea for this story stems from an original piece of fiction I have been working on since 2015, literally after watching SW: TFA.  
> Please tell me what you think. Thank you guys in advance for reading.  
> I love you all. Stay strong, Reylos.  
> Merry Christmas to those celebrating! And to those who don't: Have a beautiful day!

**I.**

**Rey**

She is dying. That she is absolutely certain of. The force is coursing through her veins, slowly tearing her apart, piece by piece. Rey doesn't have much longer and she has decided that it's what she needs to do. When the other scavengers had described glorious battles, heroic summoners and brave warriors were what came to her mind; shiny armour, honour, and the fight for freedom.

No one had prepared her for the hundreds of bodies littered across the burnt earth, the stench of blood, vomit and faeces.

And, oh, by the light, the _screaming_.

Rey swallows her final potion before throwing the bottle carelessly behind her. Poe is guarding her back, but he, too, is exhausted. Across the battlefield, a dark shadow tries to get to her, leaving bloody bodies in its wake.

She should have realised sooner that he was going to be the death of her.

He should have never taken his forsaken mask off, maybe he would have stayed a monster then.

"Rey!" He is angry, livid, _desperate,_ and she cannot bear to look at his face.

It is because of what he has done to her, to her friends, to her home. Kylo's darkness threatens to reach her light, but Rey is prepared. Without hesitating, she crouches into her fighting stance. With all the light pumping through her blood, she knows what she has to do now. Her sight is already blurry and the slash across her left thigh is starting to fester with golden crystals.

This will be her final and most powerful summon. Of course, Kylo was the first to notice, even though he has _chosen_ to become the enemy.

"Rey, he is coming closer," Poe urges her on, "I won't be able to fight him off!" he shouts, as he stabs another Shadower through the chest.

"I can feel him," she says so softly that she is not even sure whether he has heard her. His darkness is so close to her and there is nothing more she would love than to let it engulf her. Its call is sweet, almost reminding her of another future - a future they won't have any more.

Rey resists its call with her last willpower, but she doesn't dare to release her light to meet his darkness. She doesn't want him to feel this comfort; the comfort he ripped away from her, when he made the wrong choice.

"I will summon," she says loudly, but her voice trembles and breaks on the last word. Her strength is fading away and she doesn't have much longer. But maybe... maybe Rey can catch a final glimpse of him, just one final look at his dark, gentle eyes...

"What? Rey, you are going to-"

"I'm ready to die!" she barks and regrets it almost instantly. Poe has become one of her closest friends; she doesn't want this to be the last memory he will have of her.

"Please, just keep Kylo Ren away from me." She can feel the way he wants to protest, but when Poe's eyes meet hers, she hopes that he understands.

She has given up.

And when she summons her last monster, she pretends she doesn't hear his desperate shouting across the battlefield.

Rey should have known better, she realises. Both of them should have known better.

 _Maybe in another lifetime_.

* * *

_Two months prior - Kingdom of Coruscant_

**Kylo Ren**

"You do realise that your victory will save this world, don't you, my son?" Princeps Snoke's voice echoes through the hall.

Prince Kylo Ren, the first of his name, kneels in front of his father, his gaze locked on the floor. Only his father, himself and Kylo's chronicler are situated in the vast darkness of the throne room. The chronicler doesn't stop scribbling on his paper, but Kylo ignores the sound and solely focuses on his father's voice. Years of torturous training, bloody fights and immeasurable pain finally paid off. Yes... finally, the time had come to fulfil his destiny.

Kylo is aware that his life might be in danger during his journey, but he will not fail his father. He will bring honour to his name and to his homeland. Kylo will travel to Solota, the centre of their enemies: the Jedi.

Surely they will harass him for his eyes, his darkness, his _heritage_. Underestimating him shall be their downfall.

"Fulfill your destiny, my son. This is an order. Kill them and bring honour to us all."

Kylo stands up tall and salutes the Princeps. His father's gaze is locked on him. His face is scarred and old and Kylo wonders if his power will disfigure him as well in a few decades. Snoke's eyes are a cold blue and expressionless, almost empty.

Kylo turns his gaze to his chronicler, who is supposed to come with him on his journey. He can't remember his name if he is being honest, but he also doesn't really care. He is the Prince of Coruscant. Remembering his subject's names is not one of his priorities.

"Father, allow me to take my Knights with me. Any more entourage will only discredit my power. The Jedi shouldn't think of us to be weak," Kylo says determinedly. His Knights of Ren are the only people who are allowed to see him without his mask. Not even his chronicler knows what he looks like beneath it; no one does, until his ascension to the throne. Once that happens, he will become Emperor.

A few weeks ago, the leader of the church of the Jedi sent a message to the Kingdom of Coruscant; an invitation to celebrate peace between the powers of light and dark.

 _If_ one could truly call the _Batharmz-Treaty_ 'peace'. A pleasant lie, to keep the nations calm and to undermine the true power of the dark side, the Shadowers, the _Sith._

"Take your Knights with you, Kylo Ren. Karkarius," Princeps Snoke says, "leave us and prepare his journey. My son will leave tonight." The chronicler retreats hastily after giving a low bow and Snoke gets up from his throne to step closer to his son.

"You know who you are, Kylo Ren. You will not disappoint me, or your grandfather's legacy. Every step you took until now was because I ordered you to do it."

"Your faith in me will not be misplaced, father."

Princeps Snoke turns away. "You will turn thirty very soon, Kylo. And if you do not succeed in your mission, my kingdom will fall apart and it will be your fault. Don't make me regret adopting you."

Kylo clenches his leather-clad hands.

"Find the summoner, and bring them to me!" Snoke roars suddenly and his darkness consumes the throne room, his face full of hatred and anger.

"I _will_ bring them to you!" Kylo repeats proudly, letting his own darkness feed off of his father's.

"May the darkness show you the way," he hears his father speak.

"Always."

"Oh, my son, there is something you need to know..." Snoke pauses and Kylo shifts. Whatever it is, it must be grave.

"Han Solo will be in Solota."

Of _course_ it would be grave.

* * *

**Rey**

"Get back here you little runt!" Unkar Plutt growls behind her, but Rey doesn't have the time to look back and get the satisfaction of seeing his broken nose.

Two or three of his lackeys are right behind her, trying to catch up, though Rey _knows_ that she is the faster runner.

She clutches her heirloom closer to her chest and runs for dear life, even though the tundra is merciless and the air is too cold for her heaving lungs.

She won't be able to come back here anymore, not after defying Plutt and breaking his nose with her staff. Well, he should have seen it coming, as no one was to touch her heirloom. Rey doesn't even know how he found it in the small hut she occupied... _had_ occupied.

They would kill her _if_ she ever returned. She feels the tears almost trickle down her face, but instead only continues running. She could cry later, once she found a new place to call home.

The two lackeys are still behind her.

"Watch out!" someone yells suddenly and Rey instinctively ducks and falls face-first into the snow from sheer exhaustion.

She hears a muffled thud, a groan and then only silence. Slowly, she gets up and looks around. An older man is crouching next to the thugs, checking their thick jackets. Who is this man? Is he worse? Should she run? She instantly regrets leaving her staff with Plutt.

"Chewie! This bastard had it all along!" the man called over his shoulder and something golden jingles in his hand.

A big, hairy creature suddenly emerges from the woods and Rey falls on her back. What is that? She should run, _now._

But the creature turns its head to her and _whines_ something unintelligible to the other man.

"Oh, hey, kiddo. You okay?" the man asks her and her gaze switches back and forth between them.

"I...yes, thank you," she answers confused. So far they do not seem to be really interested in her.

"My my, you got some running skills. Been following this guy for days and suddenly he breaks into a run. I guess you are glad you got rid of him, eh?"

"Who are you?" Rey can't help but wonder aloud. Why are they so friendly to her?

The man narrows his eyes thoughtfully, as he catches sight of the piece of metal in her hand. "You ain't from around here, right, kiddo?" Is it the accent that betrays her? She is aware that she speaks differently than most people. Rey doesn't answer his question, but instead gets up and shakes the snow from her legs.

The creature... _Chewie_ _?_ roars. "Smugglers?" Rey repeats, disbelieving. A pair of smugglers saved her?

The man gives his partner a withering look. "Well, I wouldn't put it like that. Wait," he interrupts himself, "you understood what he said?"

"I..." suddenly, she is at a loss for words, because she _did_ understand what he said, but she has never heard his language before. It is a strange day, indeed.

The man looks at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to finish what she wanted to say. Still, Rey knows that this has happened to her before, that she never struggled with understanding other junk-traders from around the world. She just doesn't understand why she is able to form connections in her head with the words uttered.

"It's unusual meeting people who understand him," the man says, "so, who are you?"

The gentleness in his eyes makes her step closer to them. She doesn't feel any danger emanating from them and Rey decides that she could trust them, for the time being.

"I'm Rey." 

"I'm Han, this is Chewie." Chewie roars. "It is nice to meet you, too," Rey says and lets her guard down; but only a little. Suddenly, she realises that she didn't bring anything with her, except for her heirloom. Her meagre belongings had been left behind by her and Rey can't suppress the shiver that overtakes her body. Her best and only coat is still at her hut. Rey has nothing now: No place she could call home, no clothing, no supplies, no weapon. She even left her tools in her hut. The other scavengers and smiths might take them now.

"You alright, kiddo?" Han asks her, open worry etched on his face. He takes a step closer to her, watching her carefully. The way he looks at her is so familiar, almost as if she has seen the same look on another person's face, maybe even her father's? She can feel her throat constricting slightly and swallows.

"I don't know where to go," Rey admits. She has never left the village before and thus never seen anything besides the snow and the tundra. She has no family and no friends. And it is only now, that she realises, how utterly alone she is in this world. No one will miss her.

Maybe she could return, tell Plutt that she is sorry, except that she isn't. If there is one thing left in her, it's an ounce of pride.

"You're from Niima, aren't you, kiddo? Are you a smith? A mechanic?"

Rey hesitates before answering. "I'm a scavenger. But- But I can repair anything." She is not sure why she adds the last part, but it feels significant in this situation.

"Why don't you join us? We were actually looking for another pair of helping hands," Han suggests and Rey knows that there is little else she can do. So she nods gently, suppressing another shiver.

Han and Chewie beckon her to follow her. She doesn't really know why her instinct, which saved her many times before, tells her to trust them. Rey doesn't know these people, she has never met them before, but something about them makes her feel at ease, less lonely.

She trudges alongside them, only speaking when spoken to until she feels a sudden weight on her shoulders. Han has shed his jacket and put it on her shoulders. When she glances at him, he is looking away, as if he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"Why are you so kind to me?" Rey mumbles gently, clearly moved by Han's gesture. 

"Because I have seen your eyes in another person," Han admits, just as gently, though she can hear in his voice that this is a delicate subject, "I just never knew that his eyes had shown loneliness."

"What happened to him?" Rey asks. She doesn't want to cross a border, but she cannot help but be curious about this lonely person he speaks of.

"He became the son of another man," Han simply says and Rey drops the topic. She shouldn't become too familiar with people.

They might leave her behind either way.

Rey thought that they were going on foot, until she spots a massive grey horse right behind the trees, mounted to a carriage.

She has seen horses before, of course, but never this big.

Han seems to have seen her look of disbelief because he hurries to the horse and proudly claps it on the back. The horse lazily turns to them.

"This, Rey, is my Falcon." Chewie roars in delight and pets its mane.

"You just left your horse _and_ your carriage in the forest? What if someone had stolen it?" Rey grew up among thieves and scavengers, it would have been the only sensible thing to do.

"Oh," Han begins, "this baby can take care of herself. Trust me." Rey nods slowly, but turns to Chewie, as if asking him for confirmation. He shrugs and agrees softly.

"Come on, jump up. Next stop is Takodana." Rey jumps onto the carriage with Chewie's help, as her hands and feet are unbearably cold.

"What have you been clutching there the whole time, kiddo?" Han asks her and Rey almost drops the piece of metal. Of course, she is not surprised that he asked. He would have done so sooner or later, she had hoped that they wouldn't show any interest in it.

Rey presses it even closer to her chest.

"Don't worry, I won't take it from you," Han placates immediately as if sensing her discomfort.

"It just looks very familiar," he says.

Rey glances at him then and hands him her heirloom. Technically, it didn't belong to anyone but her. She had found it in a chest, deeply buried in the ruins of a castle of some sorts, in the most dangerous place of the woods next to her village. Not many returned alive from scavenging and digging there, but she was extremely desperate and very, very hungry.

Han takes the piece of metal, examining it.

"You have been armed this whole time?"

Rey hesitates. "It's not working." Or maybe she really didn't know how to make it work.

She had found a saber in the chest and kept it well-hidden afterwards, trying to make it work and understand its parts.

It is an absolute rarity in their century and Rey couldn't believe how lucky she got. Still, she never showed it to anyone, finding the saber way too precious. She grew up with legends of lightsabers, summoners and necromancers; Jedi and Sith.

"Because you are not its owner," Han simply says, as if he is not holding a literal _lightsaber_ in his hands.

"Are you strong with the Force?" he asks and Rey sputters.

"The Force? I... No, I am simply a scavenger from Niima..."

Han scrutinises her, that much she is aware of, but he lets her go and hands her the broken saber.

"Well, Simple-Scavenger-From-Niima, you might find the saber's owner someday. Trust me, all of this destiny-force-mumbo-jumbo is more real than you might expect. I've been there," Han explains and turns away, leaving Rey to wonder.

Who does this saber belong to, then? All of a sudden, she feels as if her life has gained another purpose.

It's completely dark when Chewie nudges Rey awake. She must have dozed off during the ride again. They have been travelling a whole day, sharing their food with her and getting to know each other better. Rey has never been more grateful in her entire life. As they get closer to the tavern, the noise becomes louder.

"How come the house is always full when we stop by?" Han sighs. They get out of the carriage and Rey is surprised, to say the least. Her village only had a very small tavern, not even close to what she was seeing now.

There are so many different people, music and laughter. She isn't sure whether she wants to go inside. Still, she is cold, and Han is already leading her inside, while Chewie leaves with Falcon to go to the stable.

"Come on, Rey. Let's get you inside."

For a second, Rey thinks about the payment. How is she supposed to sleep in a tavern when she doesn't even have one penny in her pocket?

But Han is already inside and in the mess of people she has lost sight of him. The music is blaring and Rey doesn't know where to look first.

She is still wearing his jacket and the sudden heat from the tavern makes her shrug it off and hide the saber in it.

"Han Solo!" a rough, female voice shouts and Rey follows the sound.

"Ah, Rey, come here!" Han calls out to her and Rey catches sight of his face. She goes up to him, seeing that he is speaking to a humanoid with strange glasses.

"Maz, Rey is accompanying us." Instantly, Maz' eyes land on her face, scrutinising her. Rey doesn't really know what to do with her stare.

"Who are you, child?" Maz asks with a curious gaze, her voice gentle, even with the noise surrounding them.

"I'm Rey," she simply says, if a little shy.

"Rey, what?" Rey can see that Maz is asking because she seems to be intrigued, although she doesn't know why she would be. She isn't the only one who doesn't have a last name, is she?

"...Just Rey," she replies.

Maz nods in understanding, but Rey can still feel Han's eyes on her.

"You got two rooms for us?" Han asks, without looking away from Rey. "Rey will be accompanying us to Solota."

The words send a shiver down her spine. Solota? She has never been in the religious centre of Jediism. But why? Why would Han and Chewie want her to go with them?

As if sensing her confusion, Han says, "Let's talk," and follows after Maz, Rey following them again. She isn't sure what there is to talk about. Maybe it's about the saber? Han had shown a lot of interest in it, though he had tried to conceal it. She hears Chewie's call from across the hall and she waves him over to them.

They sit down in a more secluded room, the music and talking getting reduced to seemingly distant noise. One of Maz' waiters brings them warm stew and water. Rey's mouth waters at the smell and her stomach almost growls again. She will never get used to eating this much in the span of two days, so she counts her blessings while she can. Tomorrow everything might be different. Of course, she had eaten meat, sometimes even potatoes or carrots, when the other scavengers took pity on her, but mostly, she had to rely on gruel from Plutt. So when the stew was placed before her nose, she didn't even wait for the others to take their cutlery. Instead, she took the bowl and started slurping. It tasted like she imagined paradise to be like.

"Rey, we will be leaving for Solota tomorrow morning. It is quite tricky to get through the gates when you can't identify yourself," Han says slowly and Rey looks to him and Chewie, obviously watching her eating. She slows down, clears her throat and puts the bowl down.

"Should I wait for you outside the gates?" she asks them, a little confused, but also disappointed. She didn't realise it could get difficult to travel without any documents, although that was one of the reasons why she had never left Niima and why most scavengers were destined to die there, slaving their life's away for Plutt and his lackeys.

Rey has heard stories about Solota- about its golden buildings, lights and possibilities. She had often dreamed of travelling there, maybe even get an education. The past 14 years of her life she had spent waiting for her parents to come back for her, until the day she turned 19 and she had realised, in fact, that they were not coming back any time soon.

"No, Rey- We- I mean, we thought about giving you a last name and fake documents, to be quite honest with you," Han admits and Chewie roars softly.

Rey blinks, trying to process what she just heard.

A last name? Documents? She could- Suddenly, there are so many possibilities.

Rey would have a place she could belong to.

The sudden giddiness spreading through her body seems to appear on her face as well because Han and Chewie share a look and Han claps her on the shoulder.

"So, Rey, what should we call you now? Any big names you can think of? Anything that you like the sound of?"

Rey thinks of her last years in misery, barely surviving. She thinks of legends, myths and heroes, of her parents coming to get her, saving her. And then she looks at Han and she _knows_ what she wants to be called.

"Rey Solo."

Han barks out a laugh and Chewie embraces her. Even though she has always hated people touching her even in the slightest way, she enjoys the warmth of his fur while listening to Han Solo's proud laugh and she feels as if her chest is going to burst from happiness.

"You know, Rey," Han laughs, "I have always dreamed of having a daughter-in-law."

Even though she can clearly feel the happiness that surrounds him, his voice is laced with pain.


	2. Chapter 2

**II.**

**Kylo Ren**

"Your Highness, the Towers of Solota are right behind the forest!" Ushar shouts from behind him and Kylo can barely make out what she says. He and his knights have already crossed the sea and now continue riding by horse.

He urges his horse to go faster and his knights pick up the pace.

Soon he will find Skywalker and bring him to his Father if he doesn't kill him first. _No,_ he can't. He has to obey Princeps Snoke's orders.

The woods behind Solota become less dense and finally, _finally,_ he sees the golden towers. Something akin to relief washes over him and he immediately suppresses it. He hates this city, despises it to its rotten, pretentious core.

The people and the belief of Jediism; the light and the summoning. The power of the sun and the stars, all of it is what made him leave, what made him realise his true purpose: to destroy the light and, above all, Luke Skywalker and his legacy.

He stretches out his darkness while riding at the front and he can feel how his knights feed off his power to gain more strength and resolve. Their thoughts become one for a moment and Kylo squeezes the reins of his horse. The darkness surrounding them grows thick and impermeable like black smoke.

_Finally, the Jedi will perish!_

_The darkness will be victorious._

_You will be the emperor._

Ushar's thought almost penetrates his mind and he turns his head to her. She is his most loyal knight, although he tries not to differentiate between them.

They are all his followers, but also his subjects.

Even though there appears to be some sort of shared camaraderie between the knights, Kylo has always been higher in the hierarchy and was treated as such.

He doesn't dwell on the thought and puts it aside.

Kylo has a mission to complete.

* * *

**Rey**

"Come on, kid. Solota is right behind the gates!" Han Solo announces and Rey lifts her hood to see it for herself.

When she takes in the view, she almost shudders.

The golden towers glisten in the soft light of the sun and Rey can't help, but gasp. Solota is glorious and she hasn't even seen the city beyond the walls, yet.

Still, the knowledge of all the real gold the city is supposedly made out of leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

There is an entire city built of gold, while she had to scavenge for anything she could trade to get by. Rey turns away, then, dismissing the thought. She will have a different life now, that she is certain of.

As if sensing her nervousness, Han lays a hand on her shoulder.

"I know what you must think. But we won't stay here for long. If you want, you can join us on our travels. Do some odd jobs, repair the carriage, as it tends to get stuck in dirt..."

She appreciates the way his gentle grip seems to calm her down. There will be many people, many different races, something she is not used to. 

"Thank you, Han," she mumbles.

Rey hasn't really had time to think about her future or the path she wants to take.

She takes another look at the tall golden towers and tries to imagine what lies beyond them. An identity, a new life, maybe even a family.

When their carriage stops in front of the gates, Han jumps down and moves towards the two guards stationed in front of them.

"Han Solo", the guard greets stiffly, although not unkind.

"Bala Tik", Han nods after a moment of hesitation. Rey glances in their direction and sees the guard's cold, blue eyes from behind the golden helmet. Bala Tik catches her looking at him and immediately turns away from Han, as if genuinely interested.

Without further ado, Chewie whines and pushes the identification documents into Bala Tik's chest.

Confused he flicks through the documents.

"Didn't know you had a daughter, Solo," Bala Tik says and the other guard joins him.

"Hmpf," Han only grumps and Rey lets go of her hood, while anxiously fumbling with her bag.

"I don't have a daughter, but a _married_ son", Han continues and Rey almost looks horrified and terribly embarrassed. She can feel her face starting to redden and turns to Bala Tik, who is eyeing her curiously.

"Well," he begins to say, in his thick accent, "I must admit that I am surprised."

Rey remembers the only few words Han had spoken about his son, as she assumed, and how he had become the son of another. A few days ago she didn't really care about what happened to this person but now she wondered. It seemed as if people knew that Han had a son, but maybe only a few people knew what had happened to him.

And Rey wasn't one of those people.

This Bala Tik must have known Han Solo's son personally, but why would he be surprised that he got married? Maybe because it was _her_ he had chosen to marry, even if it was only a lie? The thought made her even more insecure and Rey hastily put the hood back on.

She must have missed the rest of the conversation because Han climbed back into the carriage and the gates were finally opened.

"Are you and this Bala Tik guy close?" she asks and Han shakes his head.

"This young fellow and I have had a fair share of deals and we've made business, as long as everything worked out... and then, one day, it didn't." Han almost shivers. Rey can see how he suppresses the urge to do so.

She refrains from asking more questions and turns to take a first look at the streets of Solota.

The street is bustling with life, even this close to the wall. Creatures of various races shout and laugh and talk while selling and buying goods. Weapons, spices, books and clothing are sold on different stalls with varying prices. Rey catches a whiff of smoked meat and turns to look at another stall that sells meat and vegetables on skewers.

Her mouth waters just looking at it.

"Seen something you like, kiddo?" Han asks and Rey nods absentmindedly. He barks out a laugh, then, and Rey turns to him. She realises that she got up to take a better look at every stall and sits down as if chided.

"Once we arrive at the tavern, you should take a walk and treat yourself to something. When you get back, we will speak about the business we have here..."

Rey clutches her bag. She doesn't have any money yet, but maybe Han and Chewie might pay her, once their first real job is completed. 

The tavern they will stay in is less chaotic than the one in Takodana. Even though Solota looked prestigious from behind the walls, Rey realises that poverty and a lack of perspective for a bright future are to be found everywhere. In Solota it is just better concealed.

Han, Chewie and her are sitting at a table, drinking fresh water and wine. Although Rey has never been an impatient person, she can't wait to explore the markets they have crossed. The stall with the smoked meat looked the most interesting and even though she doesn't have any money, she would like to take a look at it, if only to torture herself a little. She bounces her leg up and down and constantly watches the door.

All of a sudden, Chewie whines and nudges her gently with his furry arm. The movement startles Rey out of her reverie and she blinks.

Han and Chewie are watching her with amused expressions.

"Go on, kiddo. Don't get lost, please."

Rey immediately stands and almost bolts for the door but Han's hand stops her. He clears his throat.

"I will pay you in advance... But only this time!" he mutters while pretending to be strict. Rey cradles the purse gingerly and doesn't hide her radiant smile. She considers hugging the two of them, although Han is not a fan of showing his affection in public, so she holds herself back.

Still, she almost jumps up and down in sheer excitement.

"Get yourself something nice, Ms Rey Solo," Han laughs and Rey runs out of the door, finally dismissed.

The sun is already setting, casting the busy street in a warm glow. Only now Rey takes the time to take a real look around.

Although Solota is said to be the golden city, only the wall with its watchtowers is made out of the valuable metal.

Han also told her that the temple is built out of gold, as well, having windows adorned with colourful and expensive jewels, although Rey doesn't know whether or not she will see it for herself. The Jedi Order is supposed to hold its meetings there but the temple is mostly open for pilgrimages and summoners, who are supposed to meditate there.

Rey herself has never seen a summoner herself, as Niima was not a necessarily interesting place for a summoner to visit.

The people here dress differently than the people in Niima and although she realises that Han, Chewie and her are in the pourer district of Solota, the clothing appears to be of better quality, than her own ratty tunic.

Still, it has always been difficult to let go of it, as she had sown it all by herself. The fur-trimmings are quite warm and unnecessary in Solota, she has to admit that owning new, lighter clothing would be smarter, considering that Solota and Niima were quite different in climate.

Annoyed, Rey scratches her neck, where a bead of sweat was starting to tickle her skin.

_Yes, new clothing it is, then._

She doesn't think that she will throw her old clothes away since she doesn't know yet what kind of adventures are waiting for her on her travels with Han and Chewie.

The saber in her bag feels quite heavy, suddenly, and she idly wonders, what she should do with it. What if someone is still looking for it? Would she find its owner?

Rey purses her lips and fiddles with the purse Han handed her. It is rather full and Rey- now wanting to distract herself- opens the purse to check the amount of coins.

Out of curiosity, of course.

She didn't think that Han would pay her as much as he did. Rey is not a greedy person. She had earned two gold coins in her entire life, only because some travellers liked her work back in Niima.

Plutt had always paid with wood, food and other necessities. One of the view people she got along with in Niima, Nyzhur, an older lady that had slaved away most of her life, had told her that Plutt didn't pay with money so the scavengers and workers couldn't save up gold to leave that place.

A few months after telling Rey, Nyzhur got killed by a frost giant during the night- or so Plutt had said.

Rey hastily hides the purse in her bag and proceeds to walk towards the market place they had passed by.

She hopes that no one will notice how she doesn't know what to do with the currency.

Even though it's slowly getting dark outside, the people and creatures don't become less. For a moment, Rey enjoys being one of them; a person with an identity and their own story to tell.

The noise from the nearby market place urges Rey to hurry, in hope to try some of the skewers she had seen.

With wide eyes, she takes in the very first stalls, because this time, she is not only a passerby but a _customer_.

Proudly, Rey struts over to the first stall on the left, made out of plain wood, like the rest of them.

The counter is full of different fabrics; shiny, fluffy and even almost translucent. She doesn't hesitate when touching the various materials, to feel them beneath her fingers.

Before the seller can open his mouth, Rey moves on to the next stall.

With the gold Han gave her, she buys herself a new satchel, a small knife and a piece of green soap.

It's the first good-smelling soap that she has bought, even though she can't define the fragrance. She considered buying new clothes, but not having been measured by someone else before, Rey was too shy to ask. _Next time_ , she told herself.

The last stall she wants to visit is the one with the grilled meat.

Her mouth waters when she catches a whiff of the deliciously grilled meat with the colourful vegetables.

"Young lady, what can I do for you?", the vendor asks her politely and Rey can't decide immediately, as she realises that she hasn't tried most of the goodness he has to offer.

"I'm not really sure. I'm not from around here," she admits, "and I haven't tried most of these."

The vendor, a human man with greying hair and a receding hairline, smiles at her.

"Why don't you take the two mixed skewers? Then you will have a little bit of everything to try."

As Rey is not one to say no to this idea, she gives him the money with feigned self-confidence. Surely the amount she has given him is enough.

Rey takes her fresh skewers from him and intends to leave when the vendor calls after her.

"Miss, your change!"

_Change?_

She turns to him as he hands her a few coins.

"You're _really_ not from around here, aren't you?" he asks carefully, still smiling.

"You paid too much, Miss. Be careful!"

Rey nods awkwardly, feeling foolish and embarrassed. She should have told Han that she has no idea how to pay with gold.

But Rey doesn't dwell on the thought, as holding the skewers in one hand is slightly uncomfortable, so she takes the first bite of a grilled green vegetable.

It's slightly bitter, yet very juicy and refreshing. Rey smiles to herself before taking another bite, even though she hasn't swallowed the first piece.

Lost in thoughts, Rey doesn't immediately notice the commotion on the street. The noise suddenly dies down to suspicious whispering and Rey takes a confused look around. The people and creatures all seem to stare at something further down the street, even though many try to hide it in vain.

Curious, Rey steps closer to the main street to see what the strange atmosphere is about.

As it turns out, a group of masked stranger's marches down the street. All of them are clad in black, heavy armour.

They march purposefully and Rey gawks unabashedly at the advancing group. They don't pay the commoners any attention, as if they are invisible. Rey doesn't know what to make of that. They seem like important people and she has never seen anyone more important than the one who gave her her name.

She has heard various stories from the other scavengers back in Niima; stories about creatures from Coruscant with beastly yellow eyes, creatures that use the dark side of the force:

Necromancers.

They appear to be a rare sight, even for Solota, if the hushed whispers are an indicator. Rey has never had a proper education. She has only heard snippets from history and political news, but as far as she knew, there hasn't been a war between the two ideologies since before she was born, which must have been approximately 19 years. If Rey had to be honest, she only ever cared for interesting stories about heroic summoners and brave knights, the rest wasn't important in Niima and especially not to her.

Suddenly, the man at very front of the group slows down and turns his masked face sharply in her direction.

He comes to a standstill.

Rey, still watching him curiously, notices how the people next to her distance themselves carefully.

Only then does she realise that she is the one the man is staring at, or at least she assumes so, as she can't see his eyes.

His stance is quite prideful, not hunched, or crooked, as she would have first thought from hearing alone.

Rey is so focused on the knight that she has forgotten to swallow all the food in her mouth.

He closes in on her, then, and Rey follows his movements with her eyes only, completely overwhelmed.

"You..." A dark, distorted voice speaks from behind the mask and a shiver runs down Rey's spine. It's familiar and unsettling at the same time, and the strange sound scares Rey so badly that she instantly bolts away from him.

"Follow the girl!" a female, but distorted voice shouts behind her and Rey drops the skewers and swallows finally what was left in her mouth. She doesn't even have time to mourn the food she let go in her haste, as she tumbles and shoves through the crowd of people to run to the tavern. She doesn't even know why she is being followed; maybe she shouldn't have run off in the first place.

Her instincts immediately tell her that the knight is closing in on her and she runs even faster, to no avail.

A leather-clad hand grabs her by the wrist and a voice in her head supplies, that he could have used his darkness to get to her.

Before she can react in any way, the knight shoves her forcefully onto the counter of a stall.

Then she hears the first explosion and Rey is surrounded by screaming and fire.

 _What happened?_ She notices that she is now the one holding onto the knight's arms.

He is not even looking at her any more, instead, the stall next to them is aflame and the vendor is shrieking in a horrifying manner, although Rey doesn't even try to look at him.

A massive, burning boulder seems to have crashed there, right where she was headed.

The knight has saved her life!

"Thank you," Rey says and even though her voice is barely audible, the knight looks at her again. She lets go of his arms.

Another explosion blows her away from the knight and Rey crashes painfully against a heavy door. Her ears are ringing and she barely registers her surroundings.

People are screaming, houses are burning and the only thing she can think of is that she needs to find Han and Chewie.

Solota is under attack.


End file.
